Cardin's Redemption
by RWBYxFluorite
Summary: After living a life filled with regret, Cardin gets a chance for redemption. He takes it to start a new life, have a new future, and a love he never though possible. AU, rated for the slight swearing.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Hey everyone, this is my first ever fanfiction, and I hope you like it. Main pairing : Cardin Winchester and Velvet Scarlatina. Sorry, but they seem so cute together, if Cardin would stop acting like a complete asshole. Anyways, here's the first chapter for this, and again, I hope you like it.**_

_**Enjoy~! **_**^_^**

***Chapter 1***

Cardin lay in his bed. Dying. Alone. His indigo eyes gazed blankly at the decorated ceiling above him, decorated with the Winchester and CRDL crests. He hated that ceiling, among many other things: his ex-wife, his father, and his upbringing. Everything that turned him into the man he was now.

It was a rather humiliating way to die and not in any way dignified. To make the situation worse, he suffered alone, with no one for company. Not even the healers or servants would visit him now. He was too ill.

He had needed to pee for more than an hour and a half, but he was far too weak to even stand up to go to the bathroom, or even call for assistance. So he wet himself, and it wasn't the first time this happened in the final stages of his disease.

He wished for his son Jeremy. He had turned out much better than his father. Sure, he might have been a spoiled, pampered brat at times and even a bully occasionally, but he was not a racist. He had taken the place of Professor Oobleck at Beacon when he retired, and Jeremy married a Faunas girl. He had two children with her, Alex and John, neither of which Cardin had met.

A pair of tears rolled down his cheek as he remembered his short life, his mistakes, his regrets. He had so many, too many in fact. He wished his mother was still alive. She at least was caring, trying to let him be the boy and then man he truly wanted to be. She had died from a lone Beowolf just two months after Cardin married. His father called her weak for losing to such a pitiful Grimm.

He completely hated his father.

He was able to smell the urine now, the hot liquid still running down his leg. He turned his gaze to the clock on his bedside table, it read 6:15. At 6:30 precisely, a maid would give him another dose of medicine. Medicine that did nothing but postpone the inevitable.

When Cardin Winchester imagined himself dying, the first thing that came to his mind was dying gloriously in battle with Grimm, fighting for what he believed in. He never imagined it would be from an infected Ursa Major bite.

How completely embarrassing.

Another silent tear ran down his cheek as he closed his indigo eyes. He knew fate was calling for him, that he did not have much time left. Cardin doubted he would make it past nightfall. When he did pass, his regrets would be put behind him. He could see his mother, the baby girl Kimberly aborted, and even Russell: his best friend who died in battle several years earlier.

At six thirty exactly, a servant, Stephanie, had arrived to give Cardin a dose of medicine. After several attempts to stir him, she felt for a pulse. There was none. Cardin Winchester had passed.

**XXX**

There was bright light. It was so bright it could break any darkness and then a form appeared, a woman. "Cardin," the woman said, "It's time to get up sleepyhead."

A small gasp came from Cardin's lips as his mother appeared. "Come on," she said, tapping her sword's handle, "You wouldn't want to miss the airship to Beacon now." In a heartbeat, several servants entered the room and cleaned his room.

He didn't fully comprehend her words, simply because she was there. His loving, amazing mother, who looked nothing like the woman she was when she died. Her long brown hair flowed magnificently down her back, her green eyes showing prideful elegance. She was wearing an auburn skirt with matching top. Cardin thought she had to be at least a good ten years younger than when her untimely demise came, stealing her.

"Mother, wh… what happened?"

She turned to her son, who was looking confused. Did he have a strange dream, or was he ill?

"What do you mean?" She sat down on the foot of his bed and instinctively placed her delicate hand on his forehead. He had no signs of a fever. She then checked his glands. They too were normal.

"I…" he trailed off, not sure as how to word the way he was feeling. Cardin's eyes flickered to his ceiling. The Winchester crest was there, the CRDL crest wasn't adorned until after he had been given a team at Beacon.

"Cardin, are you feeling okay? Do I need to summon a healer for you?"

Cardin's eyes turned back to his mother, her concern for her only son apparent. "No, I'm okay. I'm just… just confused a bit."

"Confused?"

Yes, confused. That was an easy way of putting it. His mother was dead. He was dying. Alone. He was completely, utterly alone. Perhaps he was delusional. That was a symptom of his disease in the end stages. He had to admit, if this was a delusion, it was a rather nice one. He was with his mother and he was young, back at 17 apparently.

"I guess I'm not fully awake, that's all."

His mother gave a small chuckle and she rose off his bed, "Well, you better hurry up and do so then. Breakfast will be ready any minute and then we'll drive you to Vale airport."

As his mother left his room, Cardin slowly rose from his bed. He found himself able to walk, and he discovered no antagonizing pain in his bones as he walked step after step. Yep, he was definitely delusional.

He was familiar with his size at 17, and he was bigger than most people his age. Making his way to a spectacularly well-cleaned bathroom, he pulled off his pajamas, put on a fresh set of boxers, washed his face, and combed his burnt orange hair back, making a slight peak at the front. He then dressed himself casually in a pair of dark grey slacks, a black shirt, and black boots. His father would most likely say something about him being dressed like a punk or drug dealer, but he honestly didn't give a damn what his father thought. With any luck, he wouldn't be in this delusion anyway. He threw on a leather jacket and made his way downstairs for breakfast.

To his dismay and annoyance his father was there, sitting at the far end of the table, reading the latest report of an attack on a Dust shop. Ignoring him completely, he smiled and sat next to his mother, prepared to eat.

"May I remind you Cardin," his father spoke up, his grey eyes glowering over the paper to glare at his son, "that you will not have your mother to wake you at Beacon."

Cardin opened his mouth to give a rather snarky remark, not fearing any punishments or reprimands. It was his own delusion after all. However, his mother spared him the task and beat him to it.

"Really, Jason, there's no need for that. We all have our days when we sleep in every once in a while. He's up now and we'll be on our way as soon as he finishes eating."

"Not wearing that," he sneered, taking in his son's appearance with a angry eye.

"I'm perfectly comfortable," Cardin stated plainly, continuing to eat.

"I don't give a flying fuck how comfortable you are. After this, you will go upstairs and change into what the servants have laid out for you."

"No!" Cardin yelled, standing from his seat. He had never raised his voice to his father, not even as an adult.

"I beg your pardon?" Jason was shocked, as well as his mother. Cardin never disobeyed his father. Never. He had always followed out his orders to the letter.

"This is my late-ass stage, Grimm-disease induced delusion, and I will not have you be a part of it. I hate you! I hate everything you stand for, you good-for-nothing, inbred, lying, sick, twisted piece of shit!"

Oh that felt really good. So many years of that bottled up hostility now just exploded from his mouth. Though looking at his father's reddening face, he suddenly started to regret it quite a bit.

Without a word, Jason rose from his seat, made his way over to his son, clamped a hand on his shoulder, and marched him to his study.

Amelia had no idea what had gotten into Cardin. He was always so respectful towards his father. She couldn't remember the last time he had ever disobeyed him. She began to think something was wrong with her son. She could hear his angry shouts echo down the hall. Jason was not one to hold back when he disciplined. She had no doubt Cardin might be standing for most of the flight to Beacon.

By the time it was over, Cardin's face was red, flushed with anger. He wasn't crying; hell, he hadn't done that since he was 11. Adult mind or not, he could still feel pain.

Maybe this wasn't a delusion at all. Maybe he had died, and this was his hell. Maybe, living through another lifetime with his father's sick, twisted way of discipline was his punishment for a lifetime of evil. He now stood in a corner in his room, blocked off from the inside so he had to wait for his father to retrieve him. He had to admit, it was probably better than sitting at this rate. Jason has used the scabbard of his sword. Cardin's bum stung, and he felt disgusted by his father's demented, sadistic form of punishment. He was 17; old enough to drive, and his father still used spankings. How humiliating. He would be sore for awhile, and he figured there were welts laced on his bottom.

"Master Winchester."

He turned slightly to see Katherine, a servant in the manor, standing in the doorway. She was wringing her black hair in her right hand, a tell-tale sign she was nervous or worried.

"Are you okay sir?"

Cardin smiled and patted her on the shoulder, "I'll live. It was my own fault… for upsetting Father."

"I think what you did was very brave, Master Cardin. I mean, to stand up for what you believe in."

"Maybe, but I doubt I'll be doing it anytime soon," Cardin gave a snorted laugh and winced, grabbing on to the dresser for support. As he held on, something shiny caught his eye. "My ring," he all but whispered as he picked up the object.

It had been his grandfather's, and he had given it to him after he graduated from Sanctum the year before. It wasn't new, or fancy, or powered by Dust. It was a plain gold ring with a bird that had its wings outstretched. it had been given to him by his grandfather, who passed it on to him when he died. When he was young, brash, and foolish, he saw it was nothing more than a simple ring, a piece of rubbish. It wasn't until after Cardin's grandfather died that he realized why he had given it to him.

He realized that his grandfather wanted him to be a man he would be proud of. A man filled not with hate or prejudice, but understanding and care.

Putting the ring on his finger, he wore it with now pride.

"Would you like it if I helped you pack your rugsack for the trip?" Katherine asked.

"Oh yes Katherine, I'd be grateful. Thank you."

The young girl's face lit up in a grin. He had said thank you. Maybe he would be a kinder, better man than his hate filled father.

Fifteen minutes later, his father re-entered the room and instructed him to change. Jason warned him that next time he spoke to him like that, the next punishment would make Faunus abuses seem like child's play.

Cardin simply nodded in agreement. He supposed the best thing to do would be to wait until his body was combat ready and strong enough to defend itself, keeping his mouth shut until then. When he would be ready, his father wouldn't stand a chance.

He pulled on his armor over his shirt, the chest piece bearing his grandfather's crest. His father then deemed his outfit satisfactory. Katherine had packed a bottle of cream to help with his bottom, as well as a bottle of pain relievers for when he got on the airship.

Cardin kept his indigo gaze on floor as he descended the stairs. Amelia put an arm around him before whispering, "Are you alright?" Cardin nodded. "Good, now please refrain from such foolishness in the future, especially around your father."

"Of course mother."

_**A/N: Next up, Cardin makes an unlikely friend. This will have a CardinxVelvet pairing, but not until the later chapters. Please let me know what you think, if I should continue this and any suggestions you may have. Thanks~**_

_**RWBYxFluorite**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: I'm sorry for the late update. My old laptop decided to just not work anymore, and I couldn't get anything done. Thank you for getting me to 5 reviews, 7 favorites, and 17 follows. You're all amazing for that. I don't own RWBY; it belongs to the awesome team of Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum. Here's chapter 2!**_

After giving his mother a hug goodbye and a curt nod to his despised father, Cardin boarded the airship to Beacon. He did not look for Dove or Russell, but instead found a nice, secluded cabin for himself. He missed his old friends. Russell had died in battle honorable, while Dove became a professional boxer. No one saw that one coming at all.

Opening his rugsack, he pulled out the latest edition of _Weapons Galore _and started to read. The knowledge of weapons was some sort of an obsession for him. He gulped down the bottle of pain relievers so he could sit down without wincing before stretching his immense frame over the seats. It was only thirty minutes before the airship lurched forward that he put away the magazine.

He had to do something to occupy his mind. Hell, even drawing was a better option than lingering on what he didn't know, and his drawing was terrible. Cardin didn't know many things: Was this truly a delusion? Was this his hell for living a cruel, wicked life?

He figured he would learn in due time, when he was ready to find out the truth behind this. Well, he hoped he would.

It was ten past two in the afternoon, only ten more minutes before arriving at Beacon, when his cabin door opened and there she stood in all her rabbit eared, and innocent glory: Velvet Scarlatina.

"Sorry to bother you, but have you seen a sword and shield lying around anywhere? A boy by the name of Jaune Arc lost them."

Cardin smirked and stood up. It seems Jaune was still a little dense and misplaced things easily in this delusion. That was slightly comforting.

"No, I'm afraid I haven't. Would you like me to help you look?" he offered. Velvet nodded, "Yes please." Cardin walked down the passage of the airship. He opened the nearest cabin's door and poked his head in, where a man wearing all black with a mask sat, polishing a katana.

"Hey, have you happened to see a sword and shield that happens to belong to a fellow by the name of Jaune Arc?" Cardin asked. The masked man shook his head before replying, "No, but I think I heard some thugs snickering about it in the cabin over." Cardin nodded and left the man to himself, not wanting to intrude for too long. He walked over to the next cabin, Velvet trailing him. He entered, and was surprised to see the ones who were laughing about Jaune losing his weapons. It was a team Cardin himself was never fond of, team POWR. They were bad enough that they made CRDL's taunting look like simple childish antics. Long after Cardin stopped bullying Jaune after the knight saved his ass in the Emerald Forest, POWR continued to torment the blonde boy. Controlling his anger, he stepped inside with Velvet. POWR stopped laughing to look at the newcomers.

"Well, what the hell do you want?" their leader, Aeron Princeton growled.

"You haven't seen a missing sword and shield have you?" Cardin asked, trying to keep his temper down. Velvet was incredibly nervous, and was hiding behind Cardin's rather large frame. Aeron stood up casually.

"And what if we had?" His question irritated Cardin, and he had to stop himself from curling his hand into a fist. The white haired boy pissed him off.

"Would you mind giving it back, as it belongs to Jaune Arc and not you?" he asked. Aeron turned to his teammates and laughed again.

"Please. We don't plan on giving them back. If you want them that badly, you'll have to fight me for them. So come on birdie, show me what you have," he taunted. Cardin stepped forward, grabbed Aeron by the shoulders, and glared into his eyes.

"**Give them back, now," **he snarled, a dark and angry aura evident in his voice. Aeron gulped and nodded to his teammates.

"Give them back," he said, frightened of what the much taller boy would do. The other members of POWR quickly gave Cardin Jaune's weapons and the indigo eyed boy left, with Velvet looking at him in awe.

Cardin walked down the airship until he reached Jaune's cabin.

"I need those Goddammit!" a very flustered Jaune said. Pyrrha's voice was much calmer than the knight's.

"It's probably someone playing a prank Jaune. Most likely Nora. I doubt Ren would actually -bother with that." The Spartan-like girl was always much calmer than Jaune. Cardin entered the cabin, Jaune's gear in hand.

"Hello, I believe someone took these from you," he said politely, and refraining from making a remark following the statement. Jaune nodded, took the gear from Cardin's hands, and looked closely.

"I don't believe I saw you earlier. Do you mind telling me your name?" he asked. Cardin gave a polite nod, "I'm Cardin, Cardin Winchester." He heard a snort come from Pyrrha, and had to bite back a well thought insult. He refused to get involved with childish taunting, and ignored her.

"Well, it was nice to meet all of you. I'm afraid I have to get back to my cabin." Cardin left, and heard Jaune mutter a 'that wasn't exactly nice of you' to Pyrrha. He turned to Velvet.

"I'm terribly sorry, but I must go back to my cabin as well. It was nice to meet you." She bowed her head and left, leaving Cardin alone. He spent most of the remaining time reading, although he did have to make a quick run to the lavatory to apply the cream on his bottom, as well as change into his armor.

It was only a matter of seconds before he heard the voice of one of his lost friends. "Sky," Cardin smiled at the blue haired boy in front of him, waving him over.

"There you are man," Sky greeted once he had reached them.

"Where were you? You had us worried for a minute there," Russell said, concern in his voice.

"Sorry guys. I had to… do some things. But it's sure as hell is good to see you two," Cardin answered. It took all of his strength to not pull his two friends into a bone-crushing hug, which was probably a good thing for them. Cardin might accidently break a few ribs.

The airship landed on the airfield at Beacon, and it invoked a lot of memories for him, pleasant memories, and he relished in them, knowing how few and far between they were. He remembered the very first time he had seen the size of Beacon Academy. Most of his other experiences paled in comparison to this, as he couldn't believe he was going to the most prestigious school in Vytal. Signal and Sanctum paled in comparison to Beacon.

Once he was inside, his eyes moved to the portraits of the former headmasters and headmistresses, and a list of the best teams in the school's glamorous history. It had been a very long time since he had last walked the inside of this academy, since he had seen the hidden wonders of the secret areas few people knew about. With the rest of the first year students, he followed Professor Goodwitch to the massive Great Hall (**A/N: I have no clue what that place is called, so Great Hall it is)**. Cardin caught sight of a young girl in red, no older than fifteen, shrinking away from a very pissed off girl with white hair. Cardin recognized the two instantly: Ruby Rose and Weiss Schnee.

"Please, I'm really, really sorry. I won't do it again," Ruby pleaded. Weiss held a book labeled _'Dust for dummies and other inadequate _individuals'.

"If you really want to start making up to me, then read this and never speak to me again." Weiss handed the book to a very crestfallen Ruby. Cardin shook his head, feeling a bit of pity for Ruby. The students continued to buzz in excitement, awaiting the welcoming speech. The current headmaster of Beacon, Professor Ozpin, took the microphone to his mouth. In an instant, the students fell quiet.

"I'll… keep this brief. You have traveled here to pursue knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills- and when you are finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose- direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take this first step." With those words, he left the stage, leaving the mike to Goodwitch again.

'_Well shit, that still is eerie, no matter how old I am,' _Cardin thought.

"Students, please make yourselves at home in this grand hall. Unpack your belongings, as you will be sleeping in here for tonight. That is all." Goodwitch left the stage as well, and followed Ozpin. Several other students voiced his opinion of Ozpin's speech being ominous, as though a war was about to happen, one of them being the man in black he had met earlier.

"Geez, he made it sound as though if we don't learn anything, we'll die in a minute," he muttered. He noticed Cardin watching him, and extended his hand.

"I met you on the airship right? I'm Adam, Adam Taurus," he introduced. Cardin took his hand.

"I'm Cardin Winchester." If Cardin could see Adam's eyes, he was sure they would be filled with fury. Adam reached for his katana. Cardin put his hands up.

"Woah, woah, woah, calm down. I'm not going to hurt you or anything," he said quickly, before Adam could stab him. Adam eased his stance, but his anger was still obvious.

"You're a Winchester. Do you have any idea what that family of yours has done to my kind?" he hissed. Cardin noticed the bull horns in his red hair, and realized why Adam was hostile towards him currently. He was a Faunas, and the Winchester family was known for their Faunas abuses.

"Yes, I do know, even if I cannot bring myself to do such cruel deeds. I am not like my father, and I won't ever be," Cardin tried to reassure. Adam's fury subsided, but it was obvious he was still a tad mistrustful. He had every right to be.

"I still don't trust you, but I'm willing to put old grievances aside for our sake. You seem alright, but naturally I'll keep an eye on you. If you ever say or do anything cruel to me or my kind, I'll make you pay," Adam growled. Cardin nodded and began to unpack. He pulled his sleeping bag and weapons magazine out. He changed into his pajamas, a pair of shorts and tank top, before lying down with his magazine. He scanned the articles until he found something about a new type of mace that was currently a prototype. It was powered by Fire Dust, and Cardin was fully interested in it. He continued reading until about ten, and he stretched out on his sleeping bag. A bunch of the other boys were flexing their muscles, attempting to woo the girls in the area. Then he saw Jaune.

Jaune was wearing his blue footie pajamas, and Cardin smirked. He had missed seeing those, as Jaune made himself quite popular with the ladies when he wore them. He saw Adam polish his katana one more time before lying down to sleep, not bothering to take his mask off. Velvet curled up under her blanket, soft snores coming from her, the rabbit ears moving in sync. Sky put down his manga, flexed his shoulders, and laid down, closing his eyes.

Cardin felt himself grow tired, and he closed his eyes, as he would need his strength for tomorrow for the assignment of teams. He fell asleep soon after, waiting for what tomorrow would bring.

_**A/N: Next up is the assignment of teams. I'm having a hard time coming up with a good team name that Cardin will lead, but it won't be CRDL. If anyone has an idea, please tell me. Review?**_

_**RWBYxFluorite**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: I must say, I'm a tad surprised over how much popularity this story has gotten. As of this chapter, I believe I'm on 13 favorites and 23 follows. Thank you all so much! It's time for the assignment of teams, and the team name will be revealed in the fourth or fifth chapter. I'm trying to base this off of the show, with each chapter being an episode. Just figured I'd warn of the spoilers, though I doubt anyone who reads RWBY fanfictions hasn't seen the show. Here's chapter 3! I hope you all like it. **_

_**Enjoy~! **_**^_^**

***Chapter 3***

Cardin woke up, and it took him a minute to remember that he was in a delusion that wasn't fake at all. He was in the grand hall, in a sleeping bag on the floor. He sat up, stretched, and got dressed in a pair of black slacks, black boots, and a dark grey shirt. He looked over, and saw that the other students of Beacon were stirring as well. A small smile on his face, he went to his assigned locker and got his gear. While getting his weapons, he overheard Ruby talking to her sister Yang.

"No more awkward conversations, now I let my sweetheart do the talking," Ruby said, running a hand lovingly over her Crescent Rose. Yang looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"You know, you'll have to meet new people sooner or later." Ruby immediately started to groan, making Cardin chuckle a bit.

"You sound like Dad!" Ruby complained.

"Well, what will you do when it comes time to be on teams?" Yang asked.

"I guess I'll be on your team or something," Ruby mumbled shyly.

"Maybe you should be on someone else's team," Yang suggested. Ruby towered up in a heartbeat, and it was hard for Cardin to hold back his laughter.

"My dear sister, are implying that you don't want to be on a team with me?" Ruby asked angrily, and Yang had to shy back from the younger girl, saying quickly, "No I didn't, that would be-"

"Impossible!" Cardin turned around to see Jaune walking around with a sheet, talking to himself, "There's no way I put my gear in locker 273. I'm pretty sure I would've known if I had a number that high. Ugh, why does this have to happen to me!?" Jaune passed by Pyrrha and Weiss, who was attempting to get her to join her team.

"So Pyrrha, I'm sure everyone must be desperate to get a celebrity like you on their team. Have you given any thoughts as who to pair up with?" the white haired heiress asked. Pyrrha thought carefully.

"Hm, maybe I was thinking about maybe playing the cards to see where they lead me," she answered. Weiss was too busy caught up in her own little world, and didn't notice Jaune come right in front of her face. Cardin went out to call a warning to the heiress, but it was too late.

"You what else is magnificent? Me, Jaune. Hello, nice to meet you. So, is anyone else excited about teams? I was thinking that maybe you and I could possibly work together. What do you say?" he proposed. Weiss had been steadily backing away, and Cardin didn't blame her. Pyrrha piped up.

"Actually I heard that teams are consisted of four people." Jaune spun around, and was on her next.

"Ah, I see you want to join the winning team too, huh? And who might you be?" Weiss got in front of him.

"Do you even know who you're talking too!?" Weiss shrieked. "This is Pyrrha, the current champion of the Sanctum tournament 4 times in a row. A current record I might add." Jaune continued to not look interested.

"Never heard of her," he stated plainly. Weiss started throwing her arms in the air, shouting, "She's on the box of half the cereals in Vale!" Upon hearing this, Jaune gasped, "THAT'S you!? Oh my God, I love those!" Pyrrha nodded a bit shyly.

"Yeah, sadly the cereal was never really all that good for you." Weiss faced Jaune again.

"So, do you really think you have what it takes to be asking HER to be on your team?" she asked. Jaune's confidence visibly fell, and he slumped his shoulders, murmuring, "I guess not. Sorry for asking." Cardin came out and put his hand reassuringly on the knight's shoulders.

"Nah Jaune, I think you could be a great leader. I mean, look at your family history. All of your family has been great leaders at Beacon," he tried to reassure. Jaune perked up a bit, "You really think so?" Cardin smiled.

"Yes Jaune, I really mean it." Pyrrha nodded as well, "Jaune, you do have what it takes. Leadership is in your blood." Jaune started to swoon a bit at the redhead.

"Oh stop with the flattery," he said happily. Weiss snorted angrily.

"Yes, please do stop." Jaune whirled around to face the heiress.

"Well, since team Jaune is off to a great start, maybe you can join too, Snow Angel. What do you say?" he asked, leaning in front of her. Weiss backed up again.

"That's a bit too close. Pyrrha, a little help?" she asked. Before Cardin knew what was going on, Pyrrha threw her Milos at Jaune, sticking him in the wall, pinned by his hood.

"I'm sorry!" she called out. Weiss grabbed her hand and walked past Jaune, who was trying to get himself unstuck. Cardin lent him a hand and took the javelin out of the wall, freeing the knight. He handed it back to its rightful owner, who gave him a mistrusting look.

'_Seriously? I just helped a bro out, and you still think I'm going to abuse him,' _he thought irritably.

"It was nice to meet you!" Pyrrha called back to Jaune. The knight slumped down, defeated.

"Likewise," he muttered. Cardin helped him up. Yang and Ruby came over to see what happened.

"Having a little bit of trouble there, lady-killer?" Yang asked with a smirk.

"My dad says all women look for is confidence. Where did I go wrong?" Jaune asked sadly. Cardin shook his head.

"Sorry man, but I doubt 'Snow Angel' was the best way to go with it. As far as I know, calling girls names doesn't help form a relationship with them at all. Still, you shouldn't lose confidence in yourself because the heiress rejected you. I'm pretty sure she rejects every guy," Cardin tried to assure. Jaune thought about it a bit before nodding.

"Anyway, I still have to find my gear. I don't know what locker it is," Jaune said.

"Want any help?" Cardin offered.

"Yes, please," Jaune said in relief. Cardin took the sheet from Jaune.

"It says your stuff's in locker 273," he said in puzzlement.

"The thing is, I don't remember having a number that high," Jaune pointed out.

"Hm, this is a bit strange. The last time I saw them you had them in your arms, and you were going to your locker. Since then, I haven't seen them. Maybe someone stole them again?" Cardin suggested. The color drained from Jaune's pale face.

"I hope not. Those were family heirlooms used by my grandfather." Okay, now it was serious. Cardin knew only too well how much people cherish their heirlooms, and he would make sure the knight got them back. He found locker 273, and was shocked to see it was empty, only a note inside. Jaune picked it up and read aloud.

"Loser, the real location is in locker 75. Signed: POWR," he read. Cardin's temper raised again, as the group of bullies still didn't get the memo to not mess with the blonde. Cardin walked over to the locker, opened it, and Jaune's weapons were in there, unharmed. Jaune put the shield/sheath on his belt, and sighed in relief.

"At least there isn't any damage on them," he said. Cardin was still furious.

'_Those weak, sniveling little cowards. I'll make sure they pay for what they've done,'_ he thought angrily. What did Jaune do that POWR would hate and torment him so much? Then he realized it. It was because Jaune didn't go to Sanctum or Signal to get accepted into Beacon. Instead, he found fake transcripts and got in illegally. Cardin knew that from it being his past life, but he didn't want to make Jaune say anything yet. He would wait until the knight was ready.

This time around, he wouldn't bully Jaune and blackmail him to doing his work for him.

This time, he would not make Velvet's life a living hell.

"Hey, Cardin. Remnant to Cardin." Cardin blinked to see Jaune waving his hand in front of his face. He shook his head quickly, trying to clear his mind.

"Sorry, did I space out at all?" he asked. Jaune chuckled a bit.

"Cardin, it looked like your mind went to another universe while your body stayed here at Beacon." Cardin laughed too. He looked at his newly issued scroll to check the time.

"Dammit, we got less than ten minutes. Come on, let's go!" Cardin jumped up, bringing Jaune along with him. They barely made it to the Beacon Cliffs, where Professor Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch were waiting.

"You know, for a guy of your size, you can run pretty fast," Jaune panted. Cardin smirked.

"That's just one of the few surprising traits I possess, Jaune." They noticed the other first year students were waiting on platforms in the ground, Adam, Sky, and Velvet among them. Seeing the only two free platforms were one by them and another at the end, Cardin shook Jaune's hand in farewell.

"I'll see you later Jaune. I gotta go, as that's the last spot open." Jaune nodded and left too. Once Cardin got on his platform, he went into a stance, but he forgot about the speech Ozpin says before launching them into the forest.

"Now, it has come to my attention that several rumors circling around the assignment of teams is being spread. I'm going to squash those rumors now. You will all be given teams, today," Ozpin started off, pausing to let his words sink in to the students' minds. Cardin saw Ruby acting a bit nervously. Ozpin continued on.

"You will be sent into the forest, using your own landing strategy, and the first person you make eye contact with will be your partner the entirety of your time at this school, so it is in your best interest that you be paired with someone you can work with. Your objective is to reach the far side of this forest, where there is a ruin containing relics. Grab them, and come back here. You will face opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy anything in your path, or you will die," Ozpin informed. Cardin noticed it was Jaune who looked squeamish.

"Now, are there any questions?" Ozpin asked. Jaune put his hand up, "Um, sir…"

"Good. Now, be on your way," Ozpin said, not paying the knight any attention. The first person, Pyrrha, was launched in the air.

"Um, I have a question," Jaune said nervously.

"What is it?" Ozpin asked. Ren was launched in the air, his Jade Dragons in his hands.

"So, this landing strategy thing, um, what is it exactly?" Jaune asked. Nora, Russell, and Blake were sent into the air. Cardin saw Yang wink at Ruby and put her sunglasses on. Adam laughed as he was sent up and away, along with Sky.

"Simple: We launch you into the forest, and you have to land without dying," Ozpin answered.

"Right! Are we getting parachutes at all?" Jaune asked again. Ozpin shook his head, and Yang and Ruby were launched together.

"No, you will be landing using your own strategy." Finally, Jaune was sent skyward, and the knight sure as hell wasn't ready for it at all. Cardin at least knew what to expect, and had the time to brace before he got launched into the air.

He soared into the sky, and he looked back to see Ozpin sipping a cup of coffee with a thoughtful expression on his face. Cardin turned his attention back to himself.

'_Well, time to see who I'll be paired up with.'_

_**A/N: I'll admit, I'm pretty sure this chapter is a bit shorter than the other two so far. Sorry about that. Next up, Cardin gets his partner, and it's not who he suspects. Until next time! Review?**_

_**RWBYxFluorite**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: Here's the next chapter, which is one you've all probably been waiting for. It's the time for Cardin to get his partner, and it's not who he expects at all. By the by, thank you for getting me to 15 favorites and 29 follows! You guys are sweet for that. I don't own RWBY; it belongs to the excellent team of Monty Oum and Roosterteeth. Here's chapter 4!**_

_**Enjoy~! **_**^_^**

***Chapter 4***

Cardin swung his mace, caught himself on a tree branch, and managed to slow down enough so he wasn't pulverized on impact.

'_That would be a really embarrassing way to go,' _he thought in amusement. After surviving his father's sadistic idea of punishment, he seriously doubted the best way to die would be on his second day at Beacon, on an exercise to assign teams. His father wouldn't even want his remains.

The orange haired teen pushed those thoughts from his mind, and focused on meeting his would be partner.

'_I really do hope it isn't Dove or Russell. Sorry, but I don't want to be stuck with those happy-go-lucky morons again. Sky wouldn't be too bad. Or maybe Velvet. Oh well, it doesn't really matter. I'll let fate decide my partner,' _he thought. He pushed his way through the forest, searching for any sign of life.

He heard rustling in the bushes alongside him, and he got his mace out, "Who's there?" He parted them to see if it was Sky, or any other person.

"Hey Sky, is that you?" he asked. A low growling answered him, and he looked up at a Beowolf Alpha, "No it isn't." The Beowolf dashed out of the bushes, and Cardin was surprised to see it was alone. Beowolves were notorious for hunting in packs, and to see one solitary was something entirely new.

"So, mister Big Bad Wolf, you haven't seen a tall, blue haired guy around here have you?" Cardin asked. The Grimm slashed at him, and the indigo-eyed boy was forced to block the attack, muttering, "Geez, you could've just said no." Another Beowolf jumped out, and Cardin knew he had to be careful.

'_One lucky shot could take me out, and I'll be wolf food. Not the most pleasant thought in the world,' _he thought grimly. The Beowolves slashed at him again, and he back flipped out of the way, an impressive feat considering his massive bulk.

"Haha, you gotta do a lot better than that…" he trailed off as he saw his mace was dented.

"You…you monsters!" he shouted, eyes flaring black. He swung his mace at the first Beowolf, sending it flying into the air. Cardin jumped up, caught it, and threw it on to the ground, breaking the bones and killing it. He landed, and faced the remaining Beowolf, "What, do you want some of this to?"

Multiple slashes of a sword were heard, and the Beowolf fell, dead. The owner sheathed his weapon and gave Cardin a smug smile.

"I'm pretty sure I could've whooped his ass too," Cardin chuckled. Adam looked around, making sure there were no more Grimm around them.

"So, I guess we're partners, huh?" he asked, not minding all that much.

"Yeah," Cardin replied, shaking the Faunas' hand. He saw that Adam was wearing his usual trench coat and black slacks, with the mask on his face.

Acknowledging each other as partners, they set on their way to the ruins, where the relics were contained. Cardin knew from his past life that the relics were simple chess pieces, but they each determined on whom your teammates were.

'_In all seriousness, I wish it is someone different from the two morons," _he thought. He heard gunfire, and stopped, "Did you hear that?" Adam nodded and unsheathed his katana, and Cardin got to see that the scabbard was a rifle.

"Nice set of weapons you've got there," Cardin complimented.

"Thanks. I got these from someone important to me," Adam replied. He scanned the area, but couldn't see anything. But something didn't feel right.

Suddenly, a large black form sprang out, and nearly smashed into Cardin.

"Was the hell was that!?" he demanded. Getting a look at his attacker, he gulped.

"It looks like we got ourselves a Gyarhino," Adam answered. The beast looked like a rhino, except with white bone spikes jutting along its back, and it had four ruby red eyes. The horns on its snout were at least four to five feet long, and it could kill them easily.

"I can see the fear in your eyes," Adam taunted the beast, trying to make it angrier. It charged again, and Cardin used his semblance again. He picked up the Gyarhino, jumped into the sky, and threw it on the ground.

Adam glowed red, and he used his specialty to slice and obliterate the Grimm. He sheathed his sword quickly again. It was the second time today that Cardin had seen Adam use that fighting style.

"What's that style called? You're the only person I've ever seen use it," Cardin asked.

"It's called laido. It's a fighting style in which you unsheathe the sword, strike, and quickly sheathe it again," Adam answered. It didn't take long before they were attacked again, except the opponent was much larger. Cardin saw the white and black heads, and swore.

"Dammit. We got a King Taijitu," he muttered. Adam grinned. His sword flew out of its scabbard, hitting the two-headed serpent in the white head. Adam dashed forward, grabbed his sword in a backwards grip, slashed, and sheathed it again. Blood leaked out from the wound, and Cardin used his semblance to raise his strength. He slammed his mace into the body of the Grimm, but the beast was much larger than anything he had ever fought, so it didn't do much damage. The tail of King Taijitu whipped around and smacked Cardin in the chest. He was sent into the ground, groaning.

"That really hurt," he complained. Adam soon joined him on the ground, grunting, "I'll agree with you on that one."

"What do you say we hit it at the same time?" Cardin suggested. Adam nodded, "Sounds like a plan." Adam started to glow an even brighter red, and he yelled over to Cardin, "Buy me some time!" Cardin charged at the two-headed snake, dodging strikes from the black head and the tail. He looped himself around the neck and slammed his mace down on the head.

"Move!" Adam shouted. Cardin used his semblance again, and threw the King Taijitu at Adam. He could see the panic in the Grimm's eyes as it was flung towards the Faunas. Adam jumped, spun, and sliced multiple times, severing the black head while Cardin crushed its back.

Both landed, and the Grimm's body fell soon after. Cardin wrinkled his nose at the stench of the snake's blood, "Good God that smells bad."

"We should probably take some of the venom for samples. The Headmaster might find some use for it," Adam suggested. He brought out a flask from inside his coat pocket, and walked over to the corpse. Seeing the white head was still attached even though it was dead, the Faunas ripped out a fang and let a few drops of venom fall into the flask. He sealed it and put it back into his pocket, brushing himself off.

"Well, maybe we should continue on our way," Cardin said. Adam nodded, and fell in behind. They walked through the forest, pushing any stray branches out of their way. Two figures dropped down in front of them, and Cardin nearly swung his mace at them.

"Woah, man. Chill out, it's just us," one of the newcomers said, backing up. Cardin stopped to see Sky and his partner, who made Cardin's heart soar.

'_Velvet.' _He was truly pleased that it wasn't the two stooges called Russell and Dove. He doubted he could deal with being on the same team as them again. Not that they weren't friends. It was that Cardin wanted a clean slate, and this was a good start.

"So, it seems you got yourself a partner as well," Sky said as he looked Adam up and down. Velvet let out a small squeal of joy as she saw the bull Faunas, "You're a Faunas too!"

Sky raised an eyebrow, as if he wasn't sure how Cardin would react to him and Adam being partners. Adam met his gaze unflinchingly. The blue-haired teen shrugged and extended his hand, "I'm Sky Lark."

"Adam Taurus," the bull Faunas returned, giving his hand a shake. Velvet was next, and she seemed a bit shy to introduce herself, "Ve-velvet Scarlatina."

Their little meeting was interrupted by a loud rustle in the bushes. Everyone was sent into defense mode, looking for the source of the noise. Their question was soon answered by a pair of Ursi Majors leaping out, their huge hands swinging. Velvet jumped back, and threw what looked to be a gun on a whip. The first Ursa roared as the bullet penetrated its thick fur.

Velvet yanked on the whip, and the gun flew back towards its owner. It fired another round, hitting the Ursa in the shoulder. Sky leaped up to stab it with his double-bladed sword, only to get hit with an open paw. The claws dug into his arm, causing the blue-haired boy to yelp out in pain.

'_Damn, this might be a bit tricky,' _Cardin thought as he ducked a swing from the other Ursa, fighting alongside Adam. The bull Faunas was slashing at the beast, the strikes going through the tough flesh.

Sky's body flickered blue, and he charged the Ursa again, dodging the blows aimed for him. He sidestepped an attack, jumped backwards and stabbed his sword through the Ursa's back. A low wail was heard from the Grimm. Sky pulled the blades out, dual wounds visible.

"Velvet, hit it now!" he ordered. The rabbit Faunas lassoed the Ursa, the whip wrapping completely around its body. Using her aura, she flung the beast in the air, letting the whip unravel from its body.

Sky jumped up again, spun, and slashed at the beast again. The Ursa fell, clearly dead. Sky landed, holding his sword in a backwards grip. In one fluid movement, he sheathed it again.

The duo looked to see how Cardin and Adam were faring. The duo had learned how to coordinate their attacks in the fight with the King Taijitu, and the Ursa was no match for them. From Adam's speed and lightning-quick strikes with his sword to the brute strength of Cardin, it was dead in a matter of minutes.

Sky and Velvet high-fived, breathing hard.

"That was fun," Sky panted. Velvet nodded in agreement.

Adam had sheathed his katana, and pointed to a stone structure ahead, "I think that's the place." Cardin looked at his mace, and saw he needed to make quite the few repairs soon. Dents and scratch marks dotted the weapon.

'_Ah well, it's a possible excuse to buy that Fire Mace I saw in that magazine earlier,' _he thought.

The structure was circular in shape, and it looked to be the place of an old temple. The group spotted strange objects on the stone pillar.

"Chess pieces?" Sky asked. Velvet picked up a white object, and sure enough, it was a chess piece.

"How about a nice castle?" she suggested. Adam shrugged, as he wasn't one to talk all that much.

"Yeah, that's cool with me," Cardin said, smiling. Sky went along with what the indigo-eyed boy said, "I don't mind." They each picked up a white Rook, and put them in their pockets.

"So, what do we do now?" Sky asked.

"I'm pretty sure we go back to Ozpin and Goodwitch," Velvet answered. Cardin waved them along, "Let's go guys. It's a long walk back to home." The group fell in behind the tall teen, looking out for any trouble.

They were about a mile away when a loud screech filled the air. A large shadow flew over their heads. Looking up, they saw a Nevermore, about medium-sized, overhead.

'_Bugger. I knew it was too easy,' _Cardin thought grimly. Nevermores were the only aerial Grimm, and that gave them a huge advantage in a fight.

The Nevermore screeched again, only for it to fly away, leaving them alone. They put down their weapons, very confused.

"What was that all about?" Sky asked. Cardin shrugged, "Dunno. But I don't think it was interested in us, that's for sure. Anyway, let's keep going." The group continued on their way until they reached Beacon Cliffs. They handed a waiting Ozpin the white Rook pieces, who took them with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Good job, you are the first ones back. Now, we wait until the others arrive. Until then, make sure you are prepared for the ceremony," he informed. The group nodded and went back into Beacon, where they rested.

It was thirty minutes later when they were summoned again. They went into the Great Hall where they first arrived, and waited patiently. Ozpin started off the teams.

"Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao-Long. You four will be known as team RWBY, led by Ruby Rose." The crimson haired girl was delighted and surprised to be named leader. The next team was up.

"Jaune Arc, Pyrrha Nikos, Nora Valkyrie, and Lie Ren. You will be known as team JNPR, led by Jaune Arc," Ozpin announced. Jaune was shocked beyond belief, "Wait, I'm leader!?" Ozpin smiled at the blonde knight, "Congratulations young man."

"Alexander Stewart, Russell Thrush, Kurtis Nielsen, and Dove Bronzewing. You four shall be team ARKD (Arcade), led by Alexander Stewart," Ozpin boomed. Cardin saw Russell give the blonde teen a friendly slap on the back, congratulating his new leader.

"Finally, it is the last team for the day. Cardin Winchester, Adam Taurus, Velvet Scarlatina, and Sky Lark. You shall be known as team CASL (Castle), led by Cardin Winchester," Ozpin announced. Cardin felt his chest soar with pride as he was announced team leader. Looking back at his teammates, he saw the approving nods and claps.

"Now, here are your dorm rooms. Please go to them immediately," Ozpin ordered. CASL left first, wanting to be in their dorm as quick as possible.

On the second floor, CASL was shown the way to dorm 223, where there were four beds, four cupboards, a bathroom, and what looked to be a small kitchen. Adam stepped in first, settling on a bed in the far right corner, "Not bad at all."

Velvet lay down on the bed closest to the kitchen, "Now I have space for my baking supplies."

Cardin crashed on the largest bed, his frame needing the extra space. He looked at the ceiling, "This is quite comfortable, I must say." Sky ran to the bathroom, looked at his reflection, and combed his hair back.

"Hurry up Sky! Some of us want to shower!" Cardin called out teasingly. This brought out snickers from Adam and Velvet. The blue haired teen turned slightly red and left the bathroom, leaving it unoccupied again.

Cardin grabbed a robe and told his teammates, "I'll be out in a couple of minutes or so." He undressed and stepped into the shower, turning the hot water on.

'_Ah, that feels very nice,' _Cardin thought as the hot water sprayed his muscular body, relaxing his sore muscles. Humming a soft tune he had heard from 'Final Fantasy X', he washed his hair, lathered his body in soap, scrubbing to make sure he got rid of the dirt and sweat.

He turned the water off, dried himself, and put his robe on again. Cardin exited the bathroom, to see Velvet and Adam staring at him.

"What is it?" he asked. His face was met with a slightly damp towel, prompting the two to start laughing. Cardin brushed it off to see it was Sky.

"Very funny Sky. You should be a comedian," he said sarcastically. This only made the two Faunas' laugh harder. Adam got up, cracked his neck, and went into the bathroom next.

"I need to do something real quick," he called over his shoulder. He didn't bother to close the door, and everyone had a clear view of what he was doing.

Adam took out a small bottle, and sprayed some of its contents in his hand. He drew his hand through his hair, and Cardin saw it was hair dye. The Faunas then slicked it back in a windswept style to complete the look. He was met with several stares.

"What, have you never seen someone dye their hair before?" he asked. Sky chuckled, "Nah, you just don't seem the type to spend any time on their hair."

I'll be taking a rinse next then," Velvet said quietly. She was the only female in a room full of guys, so it was natural that she was nervous. She entered the bathroom, and everyone gave the rabbit Faunas the privacy she needed to do her business.

Ten minutes passed by. Then twenty. Then thirty.

"Hey is she okay in there?" Sky asked.

"I dunno. It has been over half an hour," Adam pointed out, concern in his voice.

"I'll knock to see if she's alright," Cardin said. He walked over to the door. He could tell the water was still on. He knocked, calling, "Velvet? Are you alright in there? It's been half an hour." An embarrassed shout came out, "Oh my God I'm so sorry! I accidently fell asleep!" Cardin chuckled, "You might want to hurry up then. We got ten minutes till curfew."

Velvet came out, still embarrassed that she fell asleep in the shower. The water here certainly was very relaxing. A loud knock rapped on their dorm door. On the other side was Professor Goodwitch's voice, "It's time for bed! Lights out!"

CASL climbed into their respective beds, turned out the lights, and tried as quickly as possible to fall asleep.

'_I did it. I'm a leader. Now, I can shape myself into a man I'll be proud of,' _Cardin thought, tiredness taking over. He closed his indigo eyes, ready for the responsibilities tomorrow would surely bring…

_**A/N: This is my longest chapter so far, and I have to say I'm pretty damn proud of it. So, Cardin's team is formed. Russell and Dove are with my two OCs on the different team, and RWBY and JNPR are the same. Shoutout goes to HongChong for giving me the idea for team CASL. It was originally going to be CAVS, but CASL sounded better. Plus, special cookie points for whoever guesses the name of the 'Final Fantasy X' song Cardin was humming correctly. Hint: It's possibly the saddest song from the game. Until next time! Review?**_

_**RWBYxFluorite**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: I have to admit, the last chapter's feedback pleased me greatly. Thanks for getting me to 18 favorites and 34 follows! I don't own RWBY, sadly that still belongs to Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth. Now, it is time for CASL's first day as an official team. I'll try to cover all the classes, but I won't be sure. Let's start it off!**_

***Chapter 5***

Cardin woke up, and he was slightly used to the fact that he was reliving his past life. He then remembered the previous day, and his new team.

'_That's right; I'm a leader again,' _he thought. He saw that the other members were still not fully awake, save for Cardin's partner, "So, you're up too?"

"Yeah, I just woke," Cardin answered.

Adam yawned, readjusting his mask. He saw the still sleeping forms of Sky and Velvet, and smirked, "What do you think we should do about the Sleeping Beauties?" Cardin spotted a whistle on his bedside table, along with a note.

_Thought that this might come in handy_

_-Ozpin-_

Cardin smirked, an amusing plan formulating in his head. Adam followed his gaze, and he smiled, "Don't tell me we're thinking the same thing."

Cardin put the whistle to his lips, and Adam counted, "Three, two, one!" On one, Cardin blew the whistle, with entertaining results.

Sky leaped up and fell out of bed, and Velvet sat up, looking for the source of the disturbance. Her eyes rested on the two males howling with laughter, and she narrowed her eyes playfully, "Really guys? A simple 'Wake up' would've done the job."

Sky had gotten up off of the floor, "That was _so_ not funny."

Cardin looked at the clock, and saw that they had a few hours to kill before classes.

"So, what do we do to pass time by?" he asked. Velvet raised her hand, "Well, maybe we should decorate our dorm. You know, make it different from the others."

Cardin thought over the rabbit Faunas' suggestion, "That's not a bad idea. I like it."

Adam hefted his trunk, "Yeah, I need to get my stuff out of this bloody thing."

"Now that you mention it, that should be our first order of business," Sky said, stretching. Cardin clapped his hands together, "Then it's settled. Our first order of business is to decorate and unpack."

Velvet pulled her trunk on her bed, opened her dresser drawers, and began to sort her clothes. Everything was put in neatly, just how she liked it.

Sky put up a poster of the Achieve Men, and Adam chuckled as he saw it, "Wow, I would have never guessed that you would be a fan of them."

Sky laughed back, "Yeah, they are pretty funny." The blue-haired boy continued to unpack, hanging up his clothes. On outfit consisted of a white and blue suit with the shoulders painted black. Cardin looked over, "That's a nice one. Where'd you get that?"

"I got it from my dad when we went out in Vale a week ago," Sky answered. Cardin took out his black suit and hung it up in the closet, along with his dress shoes. Adam seemed to have multiple copies of the same outfit; black slacks, a black trench coat, black gloves, and his red and black shoes.

When they were done unpacking, they saw that they had to wear their school uniforms.

"Ah well. It could be worse," Adam sighed as he picked up his uniform, heading to the bathroom to change. Ten minutes later, he exited, wearing the mask along with the uniform.

"It's way less constricting than I thought," he mused. Velvet changed next, and Cardin had to admit it looked good on her, not something that could be said for everyone.

Sky entered the bathroom, and while he changed, Cardin thought of a way to get him back. Back in the days of team CRDL, they had always joked that Sky had no facial hair whatsoever, and thus never needed to shave.

Cardin, however, always shaved every other week, and he had quite the stock on shaving cream.

'_When he goes in for a shower tonight, I'll get him with a handful of shaving cream after he's done,' _Cardin thought, smirking at the visualized results. Sky exited and waved the bathroom over to Cardin, "It's all yours big man."

Cardin grabbed his uniform and strolled into the bathroom. He locked the door, and stripped down. He put on his uniform, and was thankful it fit him. As he was much taller than the average 17 year-old, it was a bit hard finding clothing that fit. He made sure the tie was straight, picked up his clothes from the other day, and exited, throwing them in a laundry basket.

"Okay, we still have a good thirty minutes to go before we have class. What do we do until then?" Cardin asked, dodging another towel from Sky.

"Sorry mate, but you can't get me with the same trick twice," Cardin said. Sky looked away, "Dammit, I thought I would get you again."

"Does anyone have a deck of cards on them?" Adam asked. Sky shook his head, "Sorry, but Dove stole mine before we got here."

"By stole, don't you mean 'borrowed without permission'?" Cardin laughed.

"Nah, he'll give them back eventually, but until then I'm beat," Sky said. Adam slouched on his bed, "Well, I'm out of ideas then." Velvet looked up, and Cardin saw that she was drawing something in her sketchbook. It was a picture of the four of them, labeled 'CASL'.

"Wow Velvet, you have some really good drawing skills," Cardin complimented. Velvet flushed red a bit, "Th-thanks." That gave the orange-haired boy an idea.

"Guys, why don't we draw ourselves and post it on the dorm door? That way everyone can see that this is team CASL's dorm," Cardin suggested. Adam raised a hand to his face, readjusting his mask, "That's not a bad one. I like it." Velvet and Sky nodded in agreement.

"Let's get started then." The group sprang into action, drawing themselves.

When they were done, they stepped back to admire their work.

"Now that is a masterpiece," Sky breathed. It was certainly well drawn. Cardin was holding his mace; Adam was standing to the side with his sword in hand; Velvet was twirling her pistol whip; Sky was holding his double bladed sword backwards. On top there was the label of 'Team CASL'.

Cardin looked at his watch, "Oh damn! We have twenty minutes to get to class!" They ran out of their dorm, grabbing the materials they would need. As they ran across the courtyard, Cardin saw Professor Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch standing outside. Ozpin held a mug of coffee in his hand, while Goodwitch looked at her scroll.

They burst into the classroom, which happened to be Grimm Studies. Taught by Professor Port, it was one of the subjects Cardin enjoyed, as the tales Port always told were amusing.

They saw that they were not the first class to arrive. Teams ARKD and FLME were there already. Dove held up a small package, "Hey Sky! Here's your bloody cards." He tossed them, and Sky caught them, "You know, I needed these about thirty minutes ago."

Cardin didn't know much about FLME, but he had heard that they were one of the best fourth year teams Beacon had. He was unfamiliar with two of ARKD's members, but he knew that they had to be good fighters.

Just before the bell rang, teams began pouring in. He identified JNPR and RWBY, and to his annoyance, POWR. His displeasure at seeing POWR must have been obvious, as Adam leaned over, "I take it you don't like them?"

"Yeah, I hate those that bully those who are weaker," Cardin answered. To his relief, POWR went to the other side of the class, with ARKD and FLME. Adam put a hand on his shoulder, "Don't waste your energy on them. They're not worth the effort." Cardin nodded and got ready for class, pulling out his pen and notebook.

Professor Port was someone who thought a lot of himself, and it was obvious to see why. The man had a gold bust of himself on his desk, and his stories always said he was made Grimm his prey. And this story was no different.

"Demons. Monsters. Creatures of darkness. Yes, Grimm have many names. But I call them prey," Port said, winking in the direction of Yang. Cardin chuckled as he saw the brawler look away.

"Anyway, here's a tale from my youth, when I was a very handsome man. I was walking through the forest, casually strolling, when a pair of Beowolves attacked me. I showed them my massive Blunderaxe, and I saw the fear in their eyes. They charged me, and I killed them with ease, walking away with their pelts," Port began to drone. He pointed his Blunderaxe to pictures of different types of Grimm on the wall.

"You have Beowolves, Ursi, Nevermores, King Taijitu, Boarbatusks, Death Stalkers, and several new breeds, including the Gyarhino. This beast has one short temper, and its horns can easily impale a human," he informed. Cardin jotted down the notes on it, making sure he had all the necessary information.

Port pointed to a cage that Cardin had not noticed until now, "In that cage is a Grimm, and if someone answers the next question correctly, they'll have the chance to fight it. Now, what separates Nevermores from the other species of Grimm?"

Adam and Cardin raised their hands. They looked at each other, and Cardin put his hand down, "You can have first shot at it."

"The Nevermore is, so far, the only type of Grimm that can fly. This gives it a massive advantage in battle," Adam answered confidently. Port clapped his hands together, "Precisely! Well done Mr.…"

"Taurus, sir."

"Well then Mr. Taurus, that was correct. Please, step to the front of the class."

Adam walked down into the front of the class and faced the cage. Whatever was in it was extremely cross, as it was shaking all over the place.

"Let's see how well you fare against this!" Port yelled, unlocking the cage. A black blur rushed at Adam, and he rolled to the left, trying to get a better look at his attacker. It was a Beowolf Alpha, and it was furious.

The Grimm let out a fury filled roar before lunging at the bull Faunas again. Adam jumped, and the Grimm dashed under him. His body began to glow red, and when the Beowolf came at him he swung his sword, the body of the Grimm disappearing. He sheathed his sword, not appearing to have even broken a sweat.

Port clapped, "Bravo, bravo. Ladies and gentlemen, we are in the true presence on a hunter in training. Remember, stay vigilant." After he had finished speaking, the bell rang to signal the end of this class. Cardin went to congratulate his teammate, along with the rest of CASL.

"Nice job man. That thing didn't stand a chance," Cardin praised, giving the Faunas a friendly tap on the back. Adam grinned, "Yeah, the only thing it did to me was ruffle my uniform up a bit."

Adam turned around, and he saw team POWR staring at him.

"What, do you want some too?" he growled. He hated when people stared, especially when he wasn't fond of them. POWR's leader sucked his teeth and looked away, "What a show-off." Adam wanted to lunge forward and punch him, but a reassuring hand from Cardin prevented him from doing so. He visibly relaxed, "Sorry, but those guys really piss me off."

The last thing they needed was for one of their members to do something reckless like get in a fight with another student. As much as Cardin would love to see POWR get shot back down to Remnant, now was not the time or place.

"Don't bother with them. Anyways, we have about two minutes before we're late to History," Cardin pointed out. Adam looked up, "You're right!" CASL ran out of Professor Port's now deserted class, and barely made it to History on time.

History was taught by Professor Oobleck, and he had a talent for zooming around the class so fast that no one could keep up. He looked up as CASL burst in, panting and holding their sides.

"You're barely on time. I hope this does not happen frequently," Oobleck lightly reprimanded. Cardin shook his head, "Of course not sir."

Oobleck began his lecture, "The Human-Faunas War was one fought because of inhumane practices against Faunas'. Now, does anyone know what most people consider to be the major turning point in the war?"

Weiss raised her hand, "The Battle of Fort Castle." Oobleck stopped running around the class, and for once Cardin could rest his eyes. He was exhausted from trying to keep track of the teacher.

"Precisely! Now, can anyone tell me how did the Faunas win that key battle?" Oobleck asked. Cardin raised his hand, "Didn't the General try to attack the Faunas at night, only to find that Faunas have near perfect vision in the dark?" Oobleck clapped gleefully, "Well done, Mr. Winchester! That's it! Good job."

Cardin wiped his brow, surprised at how much he had been sweating.

'_I'd never thought that the teachers would be so proud to see me participating,' _he thought. He saw that a majority of the class, save for CASL, were looking at him in shock, and it took a minute for Cardin to understand why.

'_It's because of my family. Oh, how much I hate my father right now. My family has abused Faunas' for centuries,' _he realized. His father was particularly cruel; he had a Faunas worker tortured to death for not working fast enough. Cardin was sickened by the memory, and it made him hate his father even more.

"Now, have any of you been discriminated against because of your Faunas heritage?" Oobleck asked. Adam and Velvet were among those who raised their hands. Cardin felt a pang of pity. He had an easy life; Faunas were always looked down upon, no matter what.

Cardin raised his hand, "Professor, how can humans be so cruel towards Faunas?"

Oobleck dropped his papers, "Mr. Winchester, that is a question I have been asking myself for years. I don't know why." Cardin put his hand down, not sure as what to say.

"It isn't right. If anything, humanity is the lesser kind for being so cruel," he whispered. Adam heard him, and he offered a consoling pat on the back, "Don't worry about it too much. Discrimination will always be around. There isn't anything you can do about it."

Cardin slammed his fist on the desk, "That's why I'm frustrated! Knowing I can't do anything, knowing I can't stop it, it makes me hate humans. Especially my father."

Adam jumped, "Your father?" Cardin nodded, "Yes. My father is a twisted man, and he had a Faunas worker tortured to death because he didn't work fast enough." Adam didn't know what to say. Cardin Winchester just admitted to his father committing a horrible crime.

"Did you tell anyone?" Adam asked slowly.

"Of course I did. The authorities brushed it off and I was beaten for it. That sight was so horrible. Treating them like animals; it makes me sick to my stomach," Cardin answered. His indigo eyes began to water, and he stood up, "Excuse me for a moment Professor."

Cardin left the class, aware that all eyes were on him. He stopped until he was in the fighting ring. He got out his mace, and began to practice.

Practicing his techniques was always something Cardin did to regain his composure. It helped to take his mind off of things. Finally, he walked to the simulator and started it up.

"Choose which battle you wish to fight," the automated voice said. Cardin pressed a random button on the screen, not caring as long as he had a fight.

"Grimm selected: Death Stalker. Please prepare yourself," the cold robot voice said. Cardin got into a stance, ready. A virtual reality of the forest took place of the fighting ring, and Cardin went head to head with a Death Stalker. The giant scorpion was fast and deadly, as it had two huge pinchers and a poisonous stinger on its tail.

The Grimm stopped just in front of him, screeching. Cardin swung his mace, catching the beast in the underbelly. There was no armor there, and he took full use of that knowledge. Before it could right itself, Cardin used his semblance. He picked the Death Stalker up and ripped it in two. The blood of the Grimm splashed on him.

"New Grimm selected: Beowolf pack," the computer said. Cardin saw as the bushes began to crawl with Beowolves.

"Which one of you is first?" Cardin asked, trying to taunt them into making a stupid move. A Beowolf rushed him; it was young, and Cardin took full use of its inexperience. He hit it square in the chest with his mace, sending it flying. He heard the bones break on impact.

"Who's next then?" Cardin asked, holding his mace on his shoulder casually. The entire pack looked at the pack leader and charged all at once. Cardin ran forward to meet them. He swung his mace in a circle, hitting them as they came to close for comfort. The pack leader swiped at him, and the blow caught him in the arm.

Pain lanced up and down his body, and Cardin fell to one knee, "Dammit that really hurt." The Beowolf Alpha loomed over him and struck.

"Battle Simulation over. Fighter is dead," the computer said, and the virtual reality ended. Cardin wasn't wounded, but he was extremely tired, as if he really had fought all of those Grimm.

"Cardin," a soft voice behind him said. The orange-haired teen turned around to see Velvet standing, lightly twirling her rabbit ears.

"A-are y-you okay?" she asked timidly. Cardin nodded, "Yeah, I'm okay now." He walked over to her and gave her a hug, "Thank you for worrying."

"Adam is out looking for you. So is Sky. After you left class, Professor Oobleck sent them after you," Velvet told him.

"Well, I guess I better find them to tell them I'm alright," Cardin said, straightening up. He wiped his eyes and followed Velvet to the dorm. He opened the door, and was greeted by Adam and Sky.

"Are you okay?" Adam asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. Cardin nodded, "Yeah, I'm sorry for leaving like that." Adam shook his head, "Don't be. We're your teammates. I had no idea Faunas Rights was such a sensitive subject for you."

Sky walked over, and gave Cardin a bone-crushing hug, "Don't ever pull a disappearing act on us again." Cardin couldn't answer, and he tapped on Sky's arms. Adam smirked, "Um, Sky? I don't think he'll be able to answer you if you cut off his air supply. Just saying."

Sky released Cardin, who began gasping for air. The blue-haired teen's eyes were a tad watery themselves, "When you walked off like that, you had no idea how much we were worried. Adam and I and went looking for you."

"Sorry about this. It's just that Faunas Rights is a very touchy subject for me. I promise I'll try to not react like that again," Cardin replied, feeling ashamed. He looked at his scroll.

"Well, we're free for the rest of the day. Do you guys want to get some food somewhere?" he asked. They all nodded, happy to see that their leader was back to his old self.

"I can drive us to our destination," Adam offered. Cardin nodded, "Okay, it's settled then. Just gimme a couple of minutes to get ready, then we'll head out." He went to the bathroom, and splashed some of the cold water on his face.

As the water dripped down his face, he looked at his reflection in the mirror.

'_I will not become like my father. I swear it,' _he thought. He exited, ready to leave and get some food.

_**A/N: Yes, I know this chapter was a bit more emotional than the others. It's also a bit longer than the last one by a couple of hundred words. This is turning out to be quite fun. The little challenge from last chapter is still up if anyone wants a crack at it. Please don't cheat by looking at the reviews. Anyways, review please?**_

_**RWBYxFluorite**_


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